Thursday, November 15

Starbucks Verismo

My espresso maker kind of died several years ago, I had had it since we lived in Texas in the early-mid 90's. So I feel it held up pretty well considering. Anyway.... its somewhere in the garage where hubby thinks its a treasure and fix-able. I think hubby has a tendency to be a "hoarder" and its up to me to step in and force thrift store runs.
ANYWAY... we have been looking off and on for a new espresso maker and the market just isn't that great. It's either a pathetic $49 one or one that comes with a coffee maker combo or a commercial kind that cost several thousand dollars. So we just kind put it off trying to find the right one and continued our monthly high dollar bill at Starbucks.
Then we saw the Verismo. I was excited to see something similar to our Keurig machine. So convenient and easy. We actually saw it at the Williams & Sonoma store at Bellevue Square Mall. Not one person would help us or attend to us while we were there, so we left.
I couldn't stop thinking of the machine, and started googling about it online and watching videos. I knew it was something I wanted but I didn't want to purchase without tasting the milk from the milk pods first. I am rather picky and read reviews that were 50/50 on the taste and quality of the milk.
One saturday we went into a Starbucks store off of Benson in Renton by Valley General Hospital and I asked them a million questions about the machine and told them I wanted to buy it but wanted to taste the milk first and not any of the girls offered to make us a drink. So we left.
The next day, Sunday.... (I'm getting really antsy about it!) I went into our nearest Starbucks store in our town and said, "Look.... I want this machine! But I have to taste the milk! Will you please make me a latte?" And I guess you have to be direct and forceful, so she did and I LOVED IT! :-D I bought the machine right there on the spot! But was disappointed that they didn't carry any of the decaf latte or espresso boxes. I wanted both, caffeine in the AM, decaf in the PM.

The next morning on Monday... I made my first latte. I had some troubles at first with the pods falling through. You have to get the hang of it. It was sooooo good. Then I made a cafe au lait, then later a mocha. I was really enjoying this machine. I did that pretty much every day the first week. Then I went to my favorite store to buy syrups.... Cash & Carry in Tukwila WA.... the syrups are half of what they are at the grocery store.

Look at all the syrups to choose from! WOW! Since I count calories, I bought 4 bottles of sugar free ones, made w/ Splenda. I usually don't like chemicals but at least it wasn't nasty aspertame.

My favorite syrup has turned out to be the salted carmel. It makes the best latte. Yum!!!!

I also am enjoying these... its a shot of espresso with whipped cream on top and you just shoot it right down. Yummy!!! I use the fat free whipped cream thats only 5 calories for 2 Tbs.

(The pods in the Longaberger mini muffin pan.)

So.... if your thinking of getting a new Espresso maker, this machine is a gem! I have not regretted it for a single minute. And I have already almost paid for it because of not going to Starbucks every day.